Repercussions
by sicklittlepervert
Summary: Betelgeuse and Lydia are closer than ever, but what are the repercussions of their new found love? Sequel to Beckoning...
1. Chapter 1

Repercussions

A/N: This is the sequel to my story Beckoning. It's been so long since I've posted, you might have to go back and read Beckoning first to understand this one.

Chapter 1

Juno sat at her desk, smoking a cigarette and grinning widely. Betelgeuse and the Deetz girl had gotten themselves stuck in Limbo. When Fred told her that they had been found, she went to the basement to find out how Betelgeuse had managed the trick. She found the book immediately. It was the same book Lydia had inside her summoning circle. Apparently, they had summoned each other at exactly the same time. "Shitty timing," Juno thought.

Knowing where they were was one thing, but keeping Betelgeuse locked away in Limbo was very appealing to Juno. He couldn't cause trouble there, and he would be out of her hair for good. Of course, he could still be summoned out. Lots of breathers still knew about him and his "bio-exorcist" business. Eventually someone would think they needed his services, and call him out. The Maitlands and Lydia's parents didn't know that she was trapped in Limbo with _him_, and Juno was going to keep it that way. That was a paperwork nightmare just waiting to happen. Juno shuddered at the thought of it.

It had been three days since Juno found out where Lydia and her not-so-favorite ghost had ended up, and truthfully, she wasn't in any hurry to get those two out of there. Ever since they met, it had been one headache after another. She seriously doubted that Betelgeuse would hurt the girl. She wasn't stupid, she knew that he still saw that girl as his ticket out. She just hoped that Betelgeuse hadn't figured out who Lydia Deetz really was. If he convinced her to marry him, he would be almost unstoppable.

The connection those two shared was forged long before they met in that attic. Juno exhaled a thick grey cloud of smoke and pulled a file from her desk drawer. She frowned at the names written across the front. The memory of that day was still very fresh in her mind. She hadn't wanted to do it. Soul reintegration was a tricky thing, and Juno hated every minute of it. It never did any good anyway. He always found her. Obviously love never dies. Juno began reading. "Third soul reintegration of Isabel Denton. New body-Lydia Lenore Deetz." Juno sighed heavily. Isabel, the former fiance of Barrett McAlister, now known as Betelgeuse. Putting Isabel's soul into Lydia had taken nearly two weeks, and the paperwork that followed had taken three times as long.

Isabel was running from her memories, and she thought reassignment would help her forget him. But no matter how many times, or how far away, they always found one another. When Isabel was reintegrated, she had no memories, but she always managed to call him. This was the first time he ever convinced her to marry him though. If it hadn't been for Barbara and that sandworm, Juno's afterlife would be hell now.

Juno sighed again. She knew that if Betelgeuse and Lydia were left alone too long, that one or both of them might begin to remember the bond they once shared. As much as she hated it, she knew she had to get them out before it happened, She hoped it hadn't already. She would just have to go get them herself.


	2. Chapter 2

Repercussions

Chapter 2

Betelgeuse held Lydia tightly. "You really gonna marry me, Lyds?" he asked. She smiled. "Only if you're serious about the offer," she replied. He looked down at her with an uncharacteristically tender look in his eyes. "Babes," he said, "I've never been sincere….." She frowned. "…..until now." he finished with a grin. A smile replaced her frown, and she pressed closer to him. He wouldn't tell her, but he was worried. She was alive, and still had a lot of living to do. What if she got tired of being with a dead guy, or what if she wanted kids? He didn't want her to ever regret her decision. His feelings for her were genuine. He wanted to marry her, and not just for a ticket out. He sighed heavily. He had actually had a pretty major thing for her the first time he saw her. And when she agreed to marry him, he thought maybe she had some feelings too. But after the sandworm incident, he realized that he had been wrong. She obviously didn't feel anything for him. Just standing there frozen while your soon to be husband gets devoured by a giant slobbering worm doesn't exactly scream "I want you, I need you, I love you…." But now, being stuck with her, the feelings had started again. And to tell you the truth, they were starting to freak him out. He hadn't really given a damn about anyone besides himself for a very long time. Not since Isabel. And having feelings for someone other than Isabel felt strange. He wondered if having feelings for a dead guy while you were still alive was strange for Lydia. "Lyds?", he questioned. "Yeah Beej," she replied. "It ain't gonna bother ya, bein married to a dead guy?" Lydia shifted to look into his eyes. "No," she said matter-of-factly, "Beej, you're more exciting than a hundred living guys." Betelgeuse grinned. "Just a hundred?" he asked mischievously. Lydia grinned back at him. "A hundred, a thousand, a million," she said. Betelgeuse relaxed and closed his eyes. If she didn't have a problem with it, he wasn't gonna give her a reason to. After a while, she stirred. "Beej?" she said quietly. "Yeah babes," he replied. "There is one thing I need to know." she said. "What's that, Lyds?" he asked. Lydia turned to look at him. "I want to know about Barrett McAlister….." Betelgeuse stiffened at the name. "No," he said matter-of-factly. "Please Beej," she said, imploringly. "Babes," he sighed, "he's dead. Long dead. Leave him buried." With that, Betelgeuse stood and walked away from her. Lydia sighed heavily, but let him go. She needed to know about his life, but she knew he would need time before we would talk about it. She loved him, so she could wait. When he decided to tell her about his life, she would listen. But only when he was ready. For now, she was just happy to be with him. She didn't know why, but she derived an almost perverse joy from the idea of marrying Betelgeuse. She had never been what one would consider "normal" by any stretch of the imagination, but marrying an almost 600 year old ghost was pushing the envelope, even for her. As she had gotten older, her strangeness had begun to subside, ever so slightly. She still covered herself in black from head to toe, but now it was a more refined style. She knew it was the darkness within her that attracted Betelgeuse in the first place, and thankfully that hadn't changed. There was no way in hell anyone was going to approve of this marriage, but honestly, she didn't care. He was what she needed, what she wanted…and that was all that mattered. She glanced over at him, and smiled. To hell with conformity, she would marry her ghost, with or without anyone's approval.

Betelgeuse took a drag from his cigarette, and sighed heavily. He closed his eyes and the image of who he had been formed in his mind. Barrett McAlister. He had tried so hard to forget that man. Thinking about him made Betelgeuse think about Isabel. Thoughts of her were painful, even after all this time. She had been the only person in his life to give a damn about him, until now. Until Lydia. When Isabel died, most of him died with her. He had taken to drinking heavily after her funeral. His life had no value, no meaning. He knew that he was going to die, and he wanted it….craved it. He had never been a particularly religious man, but enough of the doctrine had found it's way into his head to dissuade him from suicide. He didn't want to be condemned in death as he had been in life. Instead, he courted death, frequenting the roughest parts of town, engaging in shady dealings. He was daring death to come for him. Then one day, it did. He had heard all the whispers, felt the suspicious glares. The plague had claimed everyone in his life, even his beloved Isabel, but not him. He seemed immune to the very death he craved. Until one night, after hours of heavy drinking, and a few shady card games, he staggered out of the pub and into the very arms of death itself. They had been waiting for him, five in the alley, and five more to block any escape. But, he had no intention of escaping, he braced himself against the wall, and invited them to do their worst. They obliged with an almost religious fervor, leaving him to draw his last breath alone in that darkened alley. As life escaped him, he forced a small smile. Finally…

Betelgeuse shook his head, forcing away the memory. An unwelcome tear rolled down his cheek. Death had not been the release he thought it would be. There had been no glorious reunion with his beloved Isabel. He had been just as alone in death as he had been in life. He felt cheated…..and angry. The first thing he had done, was track down every one of his murderers, and made them pay. Human life had no value. He wanted revenge. Betelgeuse sighed again. He couldn't tell Lydia about his life. He didn't need her mourning him. After all, he had mourned enough in 600 years. He didn't want her pity.


	3. Chapter 3

Repercussions

Chapter 3

Juno walked across the floor of her office, and stopped in front of a small wall safe. Today was the day. Betelgeuse and the Deetz girl were coming out of Limbo. Juno had no idea what awaited her. She hoped those two still hated each other. She turned the dial slowly, and opened the safe. She sighed at the feel of the key in her hand. She remembered the first time Betelgeuse had found himself in Limbo. When he died, Barrett had been very angry. He had taken his revenge on the men who killed him, and what was left of his humanity, had disappeared. He became a monster. The sanctity of human life became foreign to him. He had not been reunited with Isabel, and he was furious. No one knew what he would become, how vengeful and uncontrollable. Troubled spirits, as Barrett was, were dangerous. Violent deaths didn't help. When the powers that be had finally caught up to him, he was out of control. He had killed all ten of his murderers, and wanted more. He meant to torture everyone that had wronged him in life. They wanted him exorcised. For some reason, Juno had felt for the young ghost. She saw the pain, and the loneliness behind his rage. She convinced the powers that she could calm him, rehabilitate him. They reluctantly agreed, and he was placed in Limbo so he couldn't hurt anyone.

He had raged for weeks. His screams and curses could be heard all over the Neitherworld. Then one day, there was silence. Since Juno had been the one to plead for his afterlife, she had been assigned to check on him. She had retrieved the same key that she now held in her hand. When she opened the door, the sight inside broke her dead heart. Barrett was on the floor, lying as still as the death that had so recently claimed him, and Juno saw the tears that he had kept hidden for so long. They were the tears of a broken man.

Juno walked slowly across the floor, and knelt beside him. She ran a hand through his hair, and he turned to look at her. She gave him a small smile. "Nothin left, huh?" she asked. He didn't respond. She offered him her hand, and he took it reluctantly. He sat up and hung his head. Juno sighed heavily, and took out a cigarette. He sat silently, staring off into the distance. After a while, he spoke. "Barrett is dead," he said softly. Juno nodded. "I know," she replied. She offered him a cigarette, which he took, and sat on the floor beside him. "Guess we'll have to call you something else, then," she said. He gave her a questioning look. "What do you think?" she asked him. He shrugged. Juno thought for a minute. "I know," she said finally, "Betelgeuse." He frowned. Juno shot him an unimpressed look. "What?" she asked. He just looked at her. "It's one of the brightest stars in the sky, it's a runaway, and it sheds it's outer layers to reveal the beauty within… Just like you did." He thought for a minute, then a very small smile crossed his lips. "Alright," he said, "Betelgeuse it is." Juno smiled and stood. She offered him her hand again. "Come on," she said, "let's get you out of here."

Juno turned the key over in her hand. After she had let him out, he came to work for her. She kept an eye on him, and kept him out of trouble. Limbo had changed him, but he was still dangerous. She had kept him under control as long as could, but eventually the restlessness overtook him, and he left her. All she could do from then on was watch him from shadows, and hope he could control himself. Juno sighed. It was time. She walked out of her office, and down the stairs. She had no idea what she was going to find behind that door.

"NO!" Betelgeuse practically screamed, "Hell no!" Lydia regarded him with an amused grin. "Please, Beej…" she purred. He was shaking his head violently, like a spoiled child. Lydia worried for a minute that it might fall off. "Beej," she said, almost pleadingly. He stopped shaking his head and looked at her. "C'mon Lyds," he said, "You've already turned me into a pansy with all this love stuff, hell, I even agreed to take a bath for the wedding….but I. WILL. NOT ask Adam to be my best man!" He resumed the violent head shaking. "You are such a big baby," she said, with a chuckle. He frowned at her. There was no way in hell he was going to ask that deadbeat to be his best man. Over his cold, dead body. Literally. "Beej," she said again, "I think it would be a nice gesture on your part." He frowned harder. "A nice gesture?" he fumed, "A nice gesture would be me not killing those two the minute I see them. THAT would be a nice gesture." Lydia frowned a bit. She knew asking Betelgeuse to voluntarily ask Adam to be his best man would be a hard sell, but she was determined. She knew that he would come around. Eventually…

Betelgeuse took a long drag from his cigarette, and shook his head. That broad was crazy. Suggesting that Adam be his best man….that was just psychological torture. Maybe he wanted one of his friends to be his best man. Okay, maybe he didn't have "friends" per se, but he knew a couple guys who owed him a favor. He shook his head again, and sighed. Ah hell, who was he kidding…he would do anything for her, even if he choked on the very idea. He chuckled softly, and walked back to where she lay in bed, reading. He had juiced her up some books and a sketchpad so she wouldn't completely lose her mind. She glanced up at him over the top over her book. He frowned at her once more. "Fine," he said finally. She smiled at him, and jumped out of the bed, rushing to wrap her arms around him. "Oh, thank you Beej," she squealed. Betelgeuse rolled his eyes, but wound his arms around her as well. "Yeah, yeah…" he said, "you'll be the second death o'me, Lyds." She grinned and pressed her lips to his.

Juno pushed the ancient key into the lock and turned it. The door swung open to reveal Betelgeuse and the Deetz girl locked in a kiss. "Aw shit," she practically screamed. The couple jumped away from each other in shock. "JUNES!" Betelgeuse yelled, "You have no idea how happy I am to see you…" Juno regarded the ghost with a thoroughly unimpressed look. "Please tell me I didn't see what I think I saw, Geuse," she said. "Depends Junebug," he said, grinning, "what'dya think you saw?" Juno glared first at him, then at Lydia. Lydia blushed under the harsh gaze, and instinctively stepped closer to Betelgeuse. He wrapped his arms around her, possessively. He grinned an almost feral grin. "Junebug," he said, "You'll be the first to hear the good news…..Me and Lydia are getting hitched."

Juno sighed and sank into a chair that appeared behind her. She closed her eyes and ran a hand down her face. "How do you two always find each other?" she asked, wearily. The pair looked at her, confused. "What the hell are you talkin about?" Betelgeuse asked. Juno sighed again. "Sit," she ordered. The two glanced at one another, then complied. "I guess you would have figured it out eventually," Juno said, "you have no idea how hard I have tried to keep you two away from each other." Lydia stared at the old ghost. "What are you talking about?" she asked, softly. Juno regarded the girl a moment before she spoke. "Do you have any idea who you really are?" she asked. Before Lydia could respond, she continued, "you aren't just Lydia Deetz, you are the fourth incarnation of Isabel Denton." "What?" Betelgeuse questioned. Lydia was even more confused. "Who?" she asked, "Who is Isabel Denton?" Juno looked at Betelgeuse. "You wanna tell her?" she asked. Betelgeuse closed his eyes and shook his head, pulling Lydia closer. "I can't," he whispered. Juno took an unnecessary breath, and began the story.

Lydia just stared at the old ghost. She didn't know what to say. Juno had told her the story of Isabel, and how she had come to be the bearer of her soul. She was dumbfounded. She was the love of his life…and she hadn't even known it. Juno lit another cigarette and shot a knowing look at Betelgeuse. She hadn't told Lydia anything about his afterlife, that was his responsibility. "I'll leave the rest of the story to you," she said, pointedly, "When you're ready to leave here, you'll be transported to my office, so don't even think about trying to skip out on me." Betelgeuse was silent. He was looking intently at Lydia, who was still staring at Juno in confusion. He knew he had to tell her the rest of the story. He just hoped it wouldn't scare her away.


	4. Chapter 4

Repercussions Chapter 4

Lydia and Betelgeuse sat in silence, neither one knew what to say. Finally, she turned

to face him. He looked at her with pain in his eyes. "Lyds," he began. Lydia put a finger

to his lips. "Beej," she said, "This doesn't change anything…not for me, but if you can't…." her protest was silenced by his lips slanting over hers. She leaned into the kiss. When he pulled away, he saw the tears in her eyes. "Lydia," he said, "I don't care who you were, who you are is good enough for me." Lydia wrapped her arms around him. "I love you, Beej," she whispered, "but what is Juno going to do?" Betelgeuse frowned. "I have no idea, Lyds," he replied, "but we gotta face the music sometimes." Lydia sighed. "Might as well get it over with," she replied. Betelgeuse looked down at her. "Dontcha wanna hear the rest of the story?" he asked. Lydia looked him in the eye. "Beej," she said, "when you're ready, I'll listen." Betelgeuse grinned. "Thanks Lyds," he said softly, "now let's go see Junebug."

Juno was behind her desk, smoking another cigarette, when Betelgeuse and Lydia popped in. She immediately noticed the entwined hands of the couple. "United front, huh?" she asked. Betelgeuse stepped forward. "We're gettin married, Junes," he said matter of factly, "you can't change it." Juno sighed. "Just sit down, you two," she said forcefully, as two chairs appeared behind them. The couple sat, still holding hands. Juno took a long drag on her cigarette. "Did I say anything about trying to stop you?" she asked. Betelgeuse gave her a skeptical look. "So…you're not gonna try to talk us out of it?" he asked. Juno raised an eyebrow. "Would it do any good?" she asked. Betelgeuse ," thought for a minute before he answered. "What's your game, Junes?" he asked. Juno regarded the pair. "Apparently, everyone has misjudged just exactly how strong the bond is between you two," she said, "and I've known you long enough to know that the more I protest, the more determined you will be. I'm not an idiot, you know." Lydia narrowed her eyes. "So, what," she said, "you're just going to give us your blessing?" Juno exhaled a thick grey puff of smoke. "I didn't say that either," she replied, "I'm not the only person opposed to this, you still have to tell your parents…" Lydia paled, slightly. "And…" Juno continued, "Barbara and Adam." A wicked grin spread across her face. Betelgeuse slammed his fist down on the desk, startling both women. "That's low, Junes," he said, "not really like you to be passive-aggressive. Sounds like a cop out to me." Juno shrugged, "Think what you want, Geuse," she replied with a sardonic grin, "but I know for a fact, that there is no way in hell you two will ever get married."

"We'll see about that," Betelgeuse said. Juno laughed out loud. "So," she said, turning her eyes on Lydia, "go on home, tell Mommy and Daddy, and the Maitlands, then let's see how far your wedding plans go." Lydia placed both hands on the desk, and leaned toward the woman. "I will marry him," she said, "with or without my parents, the Maitlands….or you." She stood abruptly. Betelgeuse grinned at the ferocity of her conviction. He grabbed her hand and led her toward the door. He stopped at the threshold, and shot Juno a death glare. "See you at the church, Junebug," he said with a grin. Juno chuckled. "One more thing, Geuse," she said, "don't think you can do whatever you want. Until you marry that girl, _if_ you do, you won't be able to manifest on the outside. Not even in miniature." Betelgeuse frowned for a split second, then laughed out loud. "I don't need to manifest, Junebug," he replied, "I'm still the ghost with the most." With that, he and Lydia were gone.

Lydia stepped out of Juno's office, and found herself in her bedroom. She looked around frantically for Betelgeuse. "Beej?" she questioned. "Right behind ya, babes," came the reply. She whirled around to find him behind the glass of her mirror. She sat in front of the trapped ghost, pressing her fingers to his image. "They're gonna disown me, Beej," she said softly. "Lyds," he said, "Lydia, look at me." She lifted her gaze to his. "Do you wanna marry me?" he asked pointedly. "Yes," she replied, without hesitation, "I do." Betelgeuse smiled at her. "Then we'll figure this out," he said. Lydia smiled as well. "Ok," she said, "let's go." With a puff of smoke, he vanished from the mirror. Lydia once again looked around. "Right here, babes," his voice said in her ear. Lydia sighed, and went to face her family.

"Hello?" Lydia called out, "anybody home?" Footsteps could be heard racing toward the door. Betelgeuse had juiced her to the front door. "LYDIA!" came a frantic screech from her stepmother. "Pumpkin?" her father yelled from behind Delia. In moments, Lydia was accosted from all sides. There were hugs and tears and screaming fits, followed by more hugs and more tears. Barbara and Adam had appeared after the first scream. "Lydia, honey, where have you been?" Barbara asked. "Are you alright?" Adam asked. "Are you hurt? What happened?" came the question from her father. Delia, as usual, was out of her element in the sympathy department. "Are you trying to kill your father?" she asked. Lydia rolled her eyes and wriggled out of the death grip of the hysterical adults. "I'm fine," she said, finally, "it's a long story." Barbara snapped her fingers and a chair appeared behind Lydia. She had been practicing with her use of magic. "Okay, honey," she said, "tell us everything." Lydia closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She half expected to smell brimstone, considering all the hell that was about to break loose. She steeled herself against the rising panic, and began to speak. All eyes were on her, and she began to shake a bit. She felt an invisible hand on her shoulder, silently encouraging her. Bolstered by the show of affection, she took another deep breath, and blurted out the news…."I'm getting married." she practically screamed. Everyone stared at her like she was from another planet. Her father looked like her might faint. "You're what?" Delia screamed, "what…when….who?" It all came out in a garbled rush. Lydia sighed. They were really going to freak out when they found out who she was marrying.

After what seemed like hours, everyone fell silent. Barbara broke the uncomfortable silence first. "Lydia honey," she said, " what do you mean, you're getting married? Where have you been? What happened? I don't understand." Lydia put her hand over Barbara's. Delia stomped over to her. "You are obviously trying to kill your father." she said, in true Delia fashion, "you disappear for three months and then mysteriously reappear and tell us that you're getting married?" Lydia looked at her stepmother in confusion. "Three months?" she asked. "Yes, three months!" Delia practically screamed, "I guess you were having so much fun with your mystery man, that you forgot that you had a family at home worried sick about you…" Lydia blushed violently. "It _is_ a man, isn't it?" Delia asked. "Delia!" Barbara snapped. She turned her attention back to Lydia. "Lydia," she said softly, "just tell us what happened. From the beginning." Lydia took a deep breath. "I don't know where to start," she said. "Well," said Barbara, "why don't you start by telling us who your fiance is." Lydia's face went a shade paler. "Um," she stammered, "that's the hard part." Her father knelt in front of her. "Come on, Pumpkin," he said, gently, "you can tell us." Lydia's lip trembled slightly. "I…..I can't," she said softly. She felt a slight squeeze on her shoulder and relaxed a bit. "Lydia," Adam said, "why can't you tell us?" Lydia looked up at the ghost, and felt tears begin to sting her eyes. "Because," she said, "I'm afraid that it will kill you all over again." Adam looked at her with a puzzled expression. "Oh, come on Lydia, it can't be that bad," Barbara offered. *You have no idea,* Lydia thought. "C'mon Lyds," said a deep voice in her ear, "you gotta tell em." Lydia exhaled and gripped the sides of her chair. "Okay," she said finally, "It's Betelgeuse. I'm marrying Betelgeuse." Barbara gasped, Adam's jaw literally hit the floor, Delia screamed, and as expected, her father fainted. "Well," Lydia said, "that went better than expected." From her office, Juno laughed hysterically. There was no way those two would be getting married.


	5. Chapter 5

Repercussions Chapter 5

"HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?"

"ARE YOU INSANE?"

"YOU MUST HAVE BEEN BRAINWASHED!"

Lydia sat for what seemed like hours, listening to all four of her "parents" yell, scream, and cry. She didn't dare say anything. She didn't even move. She was convinced that the two living parents were going to die of shock, and that the already dead ones were going to die again. She flinched every time another verbal onslaught was directed at her. Finally, she managed to find her voice, and just a tiny bit of courage. "Alright!," she yelled over everyone, "all of you just calm down." All eyes turned to her, "Are you kidding me?" Delia asked. "Look," Lydia said matter of factly, "I am marrying Betelgeuse, and none of you are going to stop me!" No one said a word, as she stood and headed for the stairs.

Back in her room, Lydia collapsed onto her bed. Betelgeuse once again appeared in her mirror. "That was a disaster," she said into her pillow. "Hell babes, I thought it went great." Betelgeuse said. Lydia turned over and looked at him. "Great?" she asked, "how was any of that great?" Betelgeuse shrugged. "Nobody died," he said. Lydia chuckled a bit. "Not yet, anyway," she replied.

Barbara paced furiously across the attic. "What are we going to do, Adam?" she asked, "we can't let her marry that…that _thing_." Adam adjusted his glasses and looked at his frantic wife. "Barbara, honey, first, let's just sit down and try to stay calm…" "CALM?" she yelled, "have you lost your mind? How can I be calm when Lydia just told us that she wants to marry _him_?" Adam sighed heavily. "Honey," he said, "she's not a little girl anymore." Barbara glared at him. "Adam, this isn't some boy she met at school…..he's dangerous. He's a monster." Adam took her hand. "Don't you think we should at least let her explain?" he asked quietly. Barbara wrapped her arms around her husband. "Why him?" she asked softly. "Barbara," Adam said, "this is Lydia, she has to have a reason, she's a good kid, we can trust her." Barbara sighed, and hugged him tighter. It wasn't Lydia that she didn't trust.

Lydia was still lying on her bed, when a soft knock came from the door. "Lydia, are you in there?" came the timid voice. "Not if you're going to yell at me again, I'm not," she replied. "I promise, no yelling." the voice said. Lydia sighed, "Okay," she said, "come in." The door creaked open slowly and Barbara stepped in. Lydia sat up, and straightened herself, ready for a fight. Barbara sat down on the end of her bed. "Lydia, honey," she began. "Barbara, I'm not changing my mind." Lydia said. Barbara frowned a bit, but quickly composed herself. "Lydia," she said softly, "just explain it to me." Lydia was surprised. She had expected more yelling or screaming, or at least crying, but Barbara just looked at her, concern in her eyes. Lydia smiled at her. "Barbara," she began, "sometimes you can't judge a book by it's cover. I know the impression you got of him was less than stellar, but let's face it, you were only around him for like twenty minutes." Before Barbara could respond, Lydia continued. "Look, I know how he seems," she said, "but there really is more to him than you know. He's got a lot of attributes that he doesn't show to anyone but me." she finished. Barbara sighed. "What do you see in him?" she asked. Lydia smiled. She knew that Betelgeuse was listening, and she was glad that she could express what she felt for him. "He's haunted," she said softly, glancing at her mirror, "he's been through a lot, Barbara. A lot of pain, a lot of suffering. He's not some big soulless evil. He has feelings, and even if you don't think so, he _can_ show them. He's sweet, when he wants to be, he's caring, and regardless what anyone thinks, he is capable of love. We love each other, Barbara, and that should be enough." Barbara sighed heavily and took Lydia's hand. "Can you at least tell me how it happened?" she asked. Lydia gave her a small smile. "It's a lot to process," she said, "but I'll try." She told Barbara everything, from finding the book, to finding out who she really was. Barbara just sat in stunned silence. When she finished the story, Barbara was in tears. "I don't know if I'll ever be okay with this," she said. "I know," Lydia replied, "but I'm not going to change my mind." Barbara blinked back the tears. "I just hope you know what you're getting yourself into." she said quietly. Lydia pulled her into a hug. "I love him, Barbara," she said, "I always have."

After Barbara left, Lydia looked at the ghost in her mirror. He had an odd look on his face. "What?" Lydia asked. "Didja mean all that stuff?" he asked. She got up and walked toward him, "You know I did." she said. Betelgeuse grinned at her. "Love ya, Lyds," he said softly. Lydia smiled. "I love you, too, Beej." she said, "Well, that's one parent down, just three more to go….." Betelgeuse smiled at her, "Hell babes," he said, "after that speech, who's gonna argue with you?" Lydia smiled back. "I _can _be pretty convincing, can't I?" she asked. Betelgeuse laughed, "Looks like I'm rubbin off on ya, babes."


	6. Chapter 6

Repercussions Chapter 6

All four of Lydia's "parents" were sitting at the table. Charles was still in shock. They had been sitting there for over an hour, and he hadn't said a word. Delia, on the other hand, was making up for his silence. "She needs to be locked up," Delia screamed, " she is obviously insane." The others looked at her. "What?" she asked, incredulously, "she cannot love that monster…" No one had the strength to argue anymore. Barbara had tried to convince them that Lydia did appear to have her mind made up, but Delia wouldn't hear of it. "Charles," she snapped at the silent man, "go talk some sense into your daughter." Charles sighed heavily and pushed his chair away from the table. "Delia," he said, "it's late, I am tired and confused, I'll be in the den." With that, Charles left the dining room and went to open a bottle of something strong.

Juno was frowning. Her plan was crumbling. She had expected the parents to be a bit clueless about the whole thing, but the Maitlands…..they, of all people, should be furious. They met Betelgeuse, they knew how he was. But it seems that everyone trusted Lydia to a fault. Obviously, that girl was smarter than Juno gave her credit for. She took a long drag on her cigarette. What if she couldn't stop this? What if Betelgeuse got out like he wanted? Juno frowned. Hell, she didn't even want to think about it. She decided that she would just have to pay the Maitland-Deetz house a little visit. The only one raising any kind of fuss about the whole situation was that high strung wannabe artist, and Juno was smart enough to know, that when it came down to it, the opinion of that woman wouldn't amount to a hill of beans. She had to do something, and fast. She took one last drag on her cigarette, and faded out with the smoke.

No one else had moved. The three remaining parents were still sitting around the table, staring silently at one another. "You people are really a piece of work," Juno said, snapping them out of their stupor. "Are you all just going to sit back and let this marriage happen?" All eyes turned to the old ghost. Adam sighed, "We trust Lydia, Juno," he said wearily, "ultimately, it's her decision." Barbara frowned, but nodded in agreement. "She loves him," she said. Juno sat down at the head of the table. "Love might not be enough when he gets out for good," she said pointedly. Barbara's eyes grew wide. "What do you mean?" she asked. Juno lit another cigarette. "I mean," she said, "that man will have free reign over the land of the living once Lydia says 'I do'. Do you really think he will stop to consider her feelings once he gets a 'get out of jail free' card? He's a con man, plain and simple. You really think he doesn't know what this marriage means for him? You can't be that stupid." Barbara visibly paled, which was quite a feat for a ghost. "You think he's just using her?" she questioned. Juno shot her a stern glance. "I'd bet my afterlife on it." she said. "Oh Adam," Barbara said, "what are we going to do?" Juno regarded the two for a minute before replying, "Well, whatever you do, you better do it fast." she said. With that, she disappeared. She returned to her office, very pleased with herself. Maybe she was playing the passive-aggressive role, but Betelgeuse unleashed on the living world was definitely something she didn't need, and she intended to do everything she could to stop it from happening. Lydia's heart, would just have to be a casualty of war.

Betelgeuse was uncharacteristically quiet. Lydia looked up from her paper, and eyed him suspiciously. "What?" he asked defensively. "What's the matter with you?" she asked. "Nothin'" he replied. "Uh huh," she said doubtfully, "you are too quiet. What's wrong? Betelgeuse huffed. "I'm bored," he whined, "I can't stand being stuck in here…I wanna be out there with you, or hell, even have you in here with me." Lydia almost laughed at his childish behavior. "Being locked up with me for three months not good enough?" she asked playfully. Betelgeuse frowned. "It was only three months to them," he replied huffily, "It was only like a week for me." Suddenly, he grinned like a Cheshire cat. Lydia eyed him suspiciously, "What?" she asked. "You agreed to marry me…" he said smugly. "Yeah," she replied, "I thought we established that." Betelgeuse shot her his best unimpressed look. "Soooo, technically babes, you agreed to marry me after knowing me a grand total of like a week and a half. Hell, even I didn't know I was _that_ good." Lydia rolled her eyes at him. "According to Juno," she replied smugly, "I've known you for centuries." Betelgeuse laughed out loud. "I guess you have, babes." Lydia laughed as well. "Although," he said, drawing it out for emphasis, "I might know a way around this little problem….." Lydia eyed him suspiciously. "Really?" she asked, "and what would that be?" Betelgeuse shot her a grin, "You still wanna get 'in'?" he asked. Lydia raised an eyebrow at him. "I already told you, killing me is not an option," she said. Betelgeuse grimaced at her. "Nah, nothing like that, babes," he replied, "but I do know a way you can visit. Besides, my lips're getting lonely…" he said, waggling his eyebrows. Lydia smiled, "Oh you poor baby," she said sarcastically. Betelgeuse mock frowned, then juiced up a pen and paper. After quickly scribbling something, he pressed it up to her mirror. "All ya gotta do is say this, and bam, you're here…" he said. Lydia looked at the messy prose. She was impressed, he had written it backward so she could read it. "Seriously?" she asked, "I could be there?" The grin crept back onto his face, "Yep, just say the magic words…." Lydia squinted at the paper, and matched his almost feral grin. "Cool," she said. She took a deep breath and began the words "Though I know I should be wary…still I venture someplace scary…Ghostly haunting I turn loose…Betelgeuse Betelgeuse Betelgeuse!" She was immediately transported to his side of the mirror. Lydia gasped. That had given her a major head rush. Suddenly, she felt his arms around her. She turned to face him. "Miss me?" he asked playfully. Lydia chuckled. "Nah, not really," she replied. Betelgeuse's eyebrow shot up. "Oh really? Well, we'll just see about that." he said, pulling her closer.

Lydia couldn't decide what to look at first. Everything was so strange. She was completely fascinated. "This is amazing, Beej," she said. The pair walked down the street hand in hand, earning gasps and strange looks at every turn. "Why is everyone staring at us like that?" Lydia asked. Betelgeuse shot annoyed looks at everyone around them. "Guess they can't believe that someone finally snagged the most eligible bachelor in the Neitherworld, " he said, "but never mind those deadbeats, let's go somewhere a little less…..populated." He snapped his fingers, and they were standing outside an odd looking building with a flashing neon sign that read BJ's Roadhouse." Lydia raised an eyebrow at the strange sight. "Welcome to Casa de BJ," he said, grinning. Lydia frowned a bit at the run down building. "I hope that's not a metaphor," she said. Betelgeuse laughed. "Hey," he said, "I can't be held responsible for what you may or may not wanna do to me, once you see the inside…" Lydia rolled her eyes. "Keep dreaming," she said smugly. Betelgeuse winked at her and opened the door.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Okay okay I know, I'm a slug. But the more I wrote, the more OOC Betelgeuse became. I had to get him back. Don't worry, it is progressing quite nicely now….

Repercussions Chapter 7

Juno smiled sardonically. It had been a pretty dirty trick, but she had got Barbara thinking. It wasn't anything personal against Betelgeuse, she just didn't need him haunting the world of the living without any type of supervision. She had actually grown quite fond of the ghost when he had worked for her, but she knew him. He was a very dangerous entity, and smart enough to get everything he wanted. Juno thought about Lydia. Did she really know what she was getting herself into? She doubted it very seriously. Once again, it wasn't personal, she just hoped Betelgeuse could see her side of it. He wasn't going to be happy about her interference. Scratch that, he was going to be furious.

"Lyds," Betelgeuse said, "don't we need to start planning this wedding?" Lydia turned to look at him. She still wasn't convinced that her family would ever be fully on board with her marrying Betelgeuse.

"I guess we should," she said. Betelgeuse looked at her for a moment. He knew that Juno and that Maitland woman would try to stop them. Just as he was about to reply, he felt the all too familiar tug of someone calling his name. Who could call him? Hadn't Juno said that he couldn't go to the living world?

"Dammit," he said, stepping closer to Lydia, "babes, don't go anywhere, I'll be back." Before Lydia could say a word, he vanished.

He materialized right in front of Barbara. Betelgeuse rolled his eyes. Great, just what he needed. Over protective ghost "mom". He let out an audible sigh.

"Babs," he said, "now's not really a good time." Barbara frowned at him.

"We need to talk," she said. Betelgeuse sighed again and flopped down onto the dusty sofa. This was gonna piss him off. Lydia had already explained everything to this woman, what could she possibly want to talk to him about.

"Look Babs," he said with a sardonic smirk, "you had your chance, but now I'm officially off the market. Sucks to be you, but you'll get over me eventually." Now it was Barbara who rolled her eyes.

"You are impossible," she said, "we need to talk about Lydia." Betelgeuse got comfortable and juiced up a cigarette. This was really gonna piss him off.

"So…" he said almost casually, "talk." Barbara took a deep breath. This wasn't going to go well, and she knew it, but she had really been thinking about what Juno said. What if he really was just using Lydia? She would be devastated. Lydia had made it perfectly clear that she loved him, but Barbara had no such illusions about his feelings. She knew what he wanted, and apparently Lydia was willing to give it to him on a silver platter.

"Just tell me that you really want marry her," she said, finally, "tell me that you aren't just using her to get out." Anger immediately flashed in his eyes.

"You really are a piece of work, Babs," he practically yelled, " I'm the fucking ghost with the most….I could con a million and one stupid breathers into letting me out for good, I don't need to get married…" he stopped at the confused look on her face.

"What?" he asked tauntingly, "surprised? You don't know shit about what I can do, so don't go messing with things you can't understand. You and Juno can't stop this, so don't piss me off…." With that he was gone. Barbara sighed heavily. He was right though, she had no idea what he was capable of, and that's what scared her.

Betelgeuse juiced himself back to the roadhouse. Lydia was sitting on the sofa flipping idly through the Neitherworld tv channels. She jumped when her materialized in front of her.

"Jeez, Beej," she said, "where did you…." She stopped when she saw the look on his face. "What happened?" He took a deep unnecessary breath to calm himself before speaking. He juiced up another cigarette and began pacing.

"That goddamn Juno did this," he yelled, "she just can't stand the idea of not being able to control me." Lydia was confused. She didn't know where he had been, but it had obviously not been pleasant. He was still pacing and smoking, thinking of all the horrible things he could do to both Juno and Barbara. They had to be dealt with. No one was going to stop this marriage. Not now, not ever.

"Beej, what are you talking about?" Lydia asked. Obviously his meeting with whoever hadn't gone well. Betelgeuse stopped pacing and turned to face her.

"Lyds." he said, "this whole thing, us meeting, bein stuck in Limbo, getting married…..why the hell is it so fucked up?" Lydia was confused by his attitude. Did he not want to marry her now?

"Beej, are you saying you wish it hadn't happened?" she asked, with a hurt tone. He looked into her eyes. Damn, he had hurt her feelings. All this was beginning to get to him, but he didn't mean to hurt her.

"No, Lydia," he said, sincerely. His features softened and he pulled her into a hug, "you know I didn't mean it like that. But hell babes, Juno is trying her damnedest to stop us and she's been working on Babs…" Lydia frowned.

"What do you mean?" she asked. Betelgeuse released her and looked at her.

"Babs was the one that called me," he said, "she wanted to chat." Lydia cocked her head slightly.

"About what?" she asked. Betelgeuse thought about not telling her, she was already emotionally exhausted, and he didn't want her to go completely over the edge. But, he couldn't keep things from her, especially important things.

"She wanted to know if I was just using you to get out." he said matter of factly. Lydia was furious. She had explained everything to Barbara. She had thought that she understood. Why was she going behind her back now? There was only one reason. Juno…..


	8. Chapter 8

Repercussions Chapter 8

A/N: This has been so long in the making, but I couldn't decide how I wanted it to play out. I have written and rewritten this about four thousand times, and it still wasn't right. I think it is headed in the right direction now….at least I hope it is. Thanks to all who are hanging in with me, and I will try to be faster with the updates from now on. I promise.

Lydia had learned a lot from Betelgeuse, but the one things she used often was well placed profanity. She could curse like a sailor when she was angry. Betelgeuse reclined on the sofa, smoking a cigarette and congratulating himself on how thoroughly he had corrupted his fiancee.

"Dammit, Beej…" she yelled, "what the hell is it going to take?" Betelgeuse sighed heavily and tried to come up with an answer.

"Hell, babes, why don't I just send them all to Saturn?" he asked, only half joking. Lydia actually considered his suggestion for a moment, before flopping onto the sofa beside him.

"No, Beej," she replied, "that wouldn't work on Juno anyway." He sighed heavily. She was right. That old bat would just pop everyone right back in the middle of the I Do's. After a while, Lydia turned to him, excitedly.

"What?" he asked.

"Do you still have that book?" she asked him. Betelgeuse shot her a questioning look, before it hit him. The book. He grinned like a Cheshire cat.

"I think it's in here somewhere," he said, reaching into his pocket.

"Just try not to pull out any severed body parts this time," Lydia said with a grimace. Betelgeuse grinned.

"Aw, c'mon babes…..you love my body parts," he said, waggling his eyebrows suggestively. Lydia rolled her eyes.

"Just find the book," she said. Betelgeuse resumed the search through his never ending pocket. After about a half hour, he produced the book.

"Found it!" he said, triumphantly. Lydia grabbed the book from his hand.

"There has to be something in here that we can use," she said, flipping through the pages.

"I still think it would be more fun to send them all to Saturn," he said, "let the sand worms sort them out." Lydia rolled her eyes again.

"And what happens when Juno snaps her fingers and they all come back madder than they were before?" she asked. It was Betelgeuse's turn to roll his eyes.

"Hell babes," he said, "way to suck the fun out of it." Lydia ignored him, putting her focus into finding a solution to their problem. She searched for hours, reading every archaic incantation and convoluted ritual, word for word. Betelgeuse couldn't be bothered. He had fallen asleep after the first fifteen minutes.

*Way to offer moral support, Beej,* Lydia thought. Finally, her eyes landed on a cryptic looking spell with an interesting title. "Disengaging Conjoined Souls" it read. Lydia thought for a minute. What if she could call in backup….Isabel had loved him once, and apparently still did. Otherwise, why would they keep finding each other? Isabel could help them. Lydia frowned. But what if it backfired? What if she and Isabel separated, and Betelgeuse wanted to be with her and not Lydia? She frowned harder. Suddenly, her eyes lit up. An hour earlier, she had read an incantation that would allow her to talk to her soul double. She could talk to Isabel directly. And that was just what she was going to do. She glanced over at the sleeping ghost beside her. He wasn't going to like this, but Lydia was determined. She scrawled a quick note, kissed him lightly and slipped back to her world. She needed to get started.

Back in her room, Lydia carefully laid out everything she needed. A brown crystal, some sandalwood incense, and a very disgusting concoction called tormentil tea. She set to work, lighting candles and preparing for the imminent encounter. With all her preparations finished, she drank the tea, laid down on the bed, and began the complicated incantation that she hoped she had memorized correctly. Her eyelids began to get heavy, and she let herself fall into sleep. She hoped Isabel would help them.


	9. Chapter 9

Repercussions Chapter 9

A/N: This story is kicking my butt. I'm trying to keep Betelgeuse in character, but this subject matter tends to lean toward raw emotions. It's hard to not go completely ooc, but I'm trying. Thanks for hanging in there with me, and to all who read and reviewed you guys are awesome…

Lydia opened her eyes and glanced at her surroundings. It was dark, and a thick fog hung heavy in the air. There was a musty smell, not unpleasant, but slightly sweet. She sat up slowly, smiling sardonically at the headstones around her.

"I hope you don't mind the morbidity," came a soft voice from the darkness, "I thought you might like it." Lydia squinted a bit, trying to put a face to the disembodied voice.

"I do," Lydia replied, "I've always liked cemeteries." A soft chuckle emanated from the shadows.

"So much like Barrett," the voice said, "he was a morbid soul, even when he was alive." Lydia stood, and dusted herself off.

"Barrett," she said softly.

"Yes," the voice replied with another chuckle, "he always hated that name." Lydia took a deep breath. She had never really thought of him as once being alive. He was the embodiment of cadaverous, so much so that any shred of humanity was eclipsed. She met him as a ghost, so a ghost was all she knew. His past was unknown, and as of right now, so was their future. She wanted to know about his life, she needed to know. She sighed heavily.

"You can't change his past, Lydia, or what happened to him….any more than I could," the voice said, "he is what he is because of it." Lydia couldn't stop the tears that began to form.

"Why can't they see that he's been through enough?" she asked.

"Perhaps they don't want to see it," the voice said, "or perhaps they see him the way he wants to be seen. Perhaps they see him as nothing but malicious, because he has shown them nothing but malice." Lydia sighed again. He had been malicious for over six decades, she doubted that he would change now.

"Lydia…he has changed. You know that."

Lydia smiled slightly. He had changed, and she did know it, but no one else seemed to. Before she could say anything, a figure emerged from the shadows. She had long dark hair and brown eyes. They actually looked a lot alike.

"What are we going to do?" Lydia asked. Isabel extended her hand, Lydia took it.

"We'll find a way," Isabel replied.

Betelgeuse awoke with a stretch and reached for Lydia. When he didn't find her beside him, he sat up. The note Lydia had placed on his chest fell into his lap. He picked it up and juiced on the light.

Beej,

Had some things to do, be back soon….

Love,

Lydia

He groaned, juiced up a cigarette and flopped back onto the sofa. He hoped she wasn't doing anything crazy. That girl could find trouble almost as well as he could. He grinned at that. It wasn't everyday that he found someone as messed up as he was. He congratulated himself on his taste in women. The thought of Lydia brought him back to reality. He had no idea how, but he knew that they would get married. Even with the whole world against them. He knew that he wasn't exactly Mr. Popularity, but he had to find a way. Truthfully, he had even thought about going to see Juno, but he realized what a ridiculous idea that was. She would probably have him exorcised on the spot. He needed a plan, and for that, he needed Lydia.

Lydia stood quietly, waiting for Isabel to speak. How were they ever going to find a solution? She glanced at the woman, trying to decide if she should say something. Suddenly, Isabel turned to face her.

"The book…" Isabel said. Lydia's eyes widened. The book, of course.

"There was a spell that might be useful," Isabel said, "the one about disengaging conjoined souls." Lydia remembered seeing that one.

"But what would happen?" she asked.

"I don't really know," Isabel replied, "but we should find out." Lydia nodded slightly, unsure just what that meant.

"How do we do that?" she asked, Isabel smiled.

"We ask a ghost…" she replied.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Apparently, Microsoft Word hates me and thinks that my scene delineations are useless, therefore it just doesn't put them in. Sorry about how chaotic that last chapter seemed, but like I said, Word processor hates me…..maybe this will be better. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Repercussions Chapter 10

Betelgeuse was beginning to get worried. When Lydia said that she would be back soon, he expected a couple of hours. He glanced at his watches. By all of them he could see that it was late. Very late. Lydia had been gone for over five hours. What the hell could she be doing? He decided that he would peek in and see if maybe she had fallen asleep. He made his way to the mirror, and sure enough, there was Lydia's sleeping form on the bed. He chuckled slightly. She was probably exhausted from all the drama. He looked her over once more. Juno said that he couldn't manifest, she didn't say anything about a little dream cruising. He grinned widely, and rubbed his hands together in anticipation. Maybe he'd get lucky and pop in on a sexy dream. His grin spread at the mere thought. He flicked away his cigarette and disappeared.

The minute he stepped into the dream, he sighed heavily. What was it with this broad and cemeteries? She was a morbid little thing. He chuckled softly. He loved that about her. He looked around a bit, trying to find Lydia. He frowned. This place looked familiar. Then it hit him, this was the cemetery that started all this. He squinted into the darkness. That's when he caught sight of it. His headstone. It was just like he remembered it. He didn't really understand her fascination with the thing, to be honest. To him it was just a big ugly reminder of everything he wanted to forget. A hideous monument to pain and suffering. Still, she was drawn to it for some unknown reason. He was about to walk around the hulking monstrosity, when he thought he heard voices. He looked around, and couldn't believe what he was seeing. Just a few feet ahead of him stood Lydia, and even though he knew it wasn't possible, she was talking to Isabel. If he had a beating heart, it would have stopped.

"He's never going to agree to this," Lydia said. Isabel only smiled.

"Oh, I think he will," she replied, "he can't resist us both." Lydia chuckled a bit. She got a mental picture of him being emotionally browbeaten by the two of them. He might not agree at first, but she didn't doubt that they could persuade him.

"How do we know that it will even work?" Lydia asked. Isabel raised a delicate eyebrow at her.

"How many spells have you gotten from that book?" she asked in response, "and, how many have worked?" she added before Lydia could respond. It was true, she had specifically picked two different spells, and both had worked. They had both thrown in their own surprises, however.

"Lydia," Isabel said, "don't worry. Barrett has six decades of experience. He'll know what to do." Lydia smiled slightly. She was nervous about the whole thing, but she knew that for this marriage to work, drastic measures might have to be taken.

Betelgeuse stood silently, watching the two women. He wasn't sure that he wasn't dreaming. There was no way that the only two women he had ever cared about were just a few feet from him having a conversation. Lydia did have a very vivid imagination, maybe this was a dream after all. He decided that he really needed a cigarette, but he definitely didn't want to draw attention to himself. What if this wasn't a dream? What if it was really happening? Lydia _had_ been reading that book before she left. What if she had actually found a way to talk to Isabel. A way to make her corporeal. He needed a closer look. He tried to "juice" himself closer to them, but for some reason it didn't work. Weird. Okay, he'd have to be sneaky the conventional way. He stood up straight and took one small step. He was so busy trying to be stealthy, that he missed his footing on the second step and fell headlong onto the ground. He tried to save what was left of his dignity by executing a tuck and roll, only to land unceremoniously on his ass in an awkward heap. The resounding grunt that followed was enough to wake all the stiffs in the place. Realizing that hiding his presence was futile at this point, he let loose a long stream of very colorful words. Once he had finished his tirade, he looked up to find both Lydia and Isabel staring down at him with bemused grins.

"Nice trip?" Lydia asked with a giggle. Betelgeuse scowled at her.

"Funny…" he said. He scrambled, a bit awkwardly, to his feet. He looked first at Lydia, then at Isabel.

"Help a dead guy out here," he said, expecting one or both of the women to understand that he needed an explanation. The women exchanged amused glances. Lydia spoke first.

"I found a way to talk to her," she said, somewhat nonchalantly. Betelgeuse nodded slightly.

"Yeah babes, that one's kinda obvious." he said.

"Barrett, " Isabel said, "Lydia and I need your help." Betelgeuse grimaced at the sound of the name.

"Izzy, you know I hate being called that." he said. Isabel blushed slightly at the nickname.

"You will always be Barrett to me," she replied, placing a hand on his cheek. Betelgeuse closed his eyes briefly at the contact. Despite his gruff exterior, he was filled with a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. He opened his eyes and gazed at the woman. She was still as beautiful as ever. He turned his attention to Lydia. He wondered how he had never made the connection. They were so much alike. They looked alike, had the same mannerisms. His whole afterlife, he had been searching for someone like her, and he had finally found that in Lydia. Trouble was, now he had found them both.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: This is the first chapter where I had to have Betelgeuse confront his past. I tried not to make it too sticky with emotion, because I didn't think Beej would get all sappy about it. He does have a few moments where he is a bit vulnerable, but it is really to be expected with this content. I hope he isn't too OOC, but I really like how it turned out. I hope you do as well.

Repercussions Chapter 11

"Nope…" Betelgeuse said, "it wouldn't make any difference anyway. One soul, two souls, hell, it's all the same to them. They don't want me marryin' a breather, wouldn't matter if she had fifty souls." The two women pouted at him.

"And don't go tryin' to lay some weird double guilt trip on me, either. It won't work. Plain and simple." he said. Lydia sighed heavily.

"Beej," she said, "there has to be something we can do."

"Barrett," Isabel added, " why is everyone so opposed to you marrying Lydia?" Betelgeuse rolled his eyes.

"It ain't just Lyds, Izzy," he said, "they don't want me marryin' any breather." Isabel frowned.

"What would be so terrible with you marrying a living woman?" Isabel asked, "why are they so afraid of you?" Betelgeuse sighed. He really didn't want to have to rehash his past to the only two people that had ever bothered to give a damn about him. He didn't want them to know about his darker side. He was the ghost with the most. He had incredible powers beyond anything either of them had even seen, or probably ever would see. But, he knew that for them to understand where they were, they had to understand where he had been, or rather _what_ he had been. He sighed again.

"Alright," he said, finally, "but don't say I didn't warn ya. Some of the things I did ain't exactly sunshine and roses." The two women didn't say anything. They knew that if they stopped him now, he might decided to never continue. Betelgeuse took a deep, unnecessary breath, and regarded the two women. His cast his gaze on Lydia first, and let it linger a bit before moving on to look at Isabel.

"It all started when you died, Iz." he began, "I lost the one person who kept me grounded. After that, nothing mattered. I kept hopin' I'd just wake up dead, but it didn't happen. The whole town treated me like a…like a…what's the word, Lyds?"

"Pariah," she said softly.

"Yeah, one of those," he continued, " they all whispered about me. They crossed the street to get away from me. Said I was spreadin' the plague. Treated me like a witch or something. After about six months of wakin' up every day, I figured out that death was avoidin' me too, so I figured if death wasn't gonna come for me, I'd go to him. So, I headed for the roughest part of town and into the seediest looking joint I could find, and I got fallin' down drunk. I cheated about a dozen losers at cards, flirted with all their women and just tried to make the biggest ass of myself that I could. Then I stumbled outside into a dark alley and waited for good ole death to come looking for me…" he stopped and looked at the two women again. They said nothing, but he could see the glint of tears in both sets of eyes. He forced himself to look away, and continued.

"Bout ten of 'em came out after me. I just stood there smiling like an idiot. They were gonna give me what I had been cheated out of for six months. I just leaned up against the wall, and closed my eyes….I didn't really feel it, but I knew I was gonna die. I think I even laughed a couple times. By the time they were done, I was good and dead." Lydia and Isabel were both crying now. He still couldn't bring himself to look at them.

So, when I opened my eyes," he continued, "I was expecting to see you standin' there, Iz, waitin' for me. But instead I found myself in that damn waiting room with a bunch of other stiffs, holding some big ass number in my hand. I'd never been dead before, so I just waited. I was still thinking I'd see you as soon as I got out of that place, but my caseworker told me it didn't work like that. He said that I'd have to haunt that shit hole town for 125 years. I was pissed. It's funny though, that was how I discovered the 'juice'. I don't think that guy was ready for that." He chuckled at the memory. He had destroyed that office. He had actually blown through the entire place.

"I think it was all the anger… he said, "all the pain. It just kinda built up inside me. So I used it." He glanced at them again, they were still crying. He wondered if he should continue. This is why he didn't like to tell this story. He could feel the sadness, but worst of all, he could feel the pity, and he hated it. He didn't want anyone to feel sorry for him. He really needed a smoke. He tried to juice one up, but was once again disappointed. Why couldn't he use his juice? He cursed audibly. Isabel took a step toward him and he visibly flinched. He could feel every one of her emotions. It was physically painful.

"Here," she said, extending her hand. He looked down to find her holding a cigarette. It was even lit. He grinned.

"Thanks, Iz," he said, taking the offering. He took a long drag and exhaled slowly. He was trying to avoid the rest of the story.

"Beej," Lydia said, after about five minutes.

"I know Lyds," he replied. He finished his smoke and continued.

"Like I said, I was pissed. 125 years in a place I hated. No thanks. I had all this power, but I didn't know how long it would last. So I decided that hauntin' wasn't for me. I decided to see what this new power could do. So all those losers that helped me leave the land of the livin' , I found 'em and returned the favor. And I thought, hell, while I was at it, I'd just get revenge on everybody. All those breathers that crossed the street to avoid me, all the losers that whispered about me…..for everybody that thought I was the devil, I'd just confirm their suspicions, y'know. Got through just about that whole fuckin' town before they found me, too. Locked me up in some outta the way hole, so they wouldn't have to deal with me. The only one who ever had anything to do with me was Junes….Tell ya the truth, I don't know why she even bothered." He got a far away look in his eyes. Juno had been the only one to give a damn back then, but it didn't change the fact that she was giving him hell now. He tried to stop the tears that were forming, but dragging up all the memories was more painful than he had thought it would be. Lydia and Isabel remained silent. They knew this was hard for him. It was hard for all of them. He took a deep breath and continued.

"So, that's when they put the curse on my name. Gave me this weird one I got now, and shackled me to the Neitherworld with it. I couldn't go back to the breather world unless somebody specifically wanted me there, and nobody ever did. So, I worked for Junes for a while. Did a lot of menial shit, and got bored real quick. I decided right then that I had to find a way out. Workin' for Junes sucked, but it did give me time to figure out the rules. I read that handbook, got a pretty good sense of how things worked. Then I figured out that I could get the new stiffs in town to let me out. After that got old, I figured out a way that I could get out for good. Marryin' a breather. And I tried, too. Been tryin' for almost 600 years. Never worked, til Lyds came along, though. That's why they're all so touchy about it. Nobody ever agreed to marry me before. Now that somebody has, they're afraid I'll get out and finish what I started.

"But everyone you knew then is long dead," Isabel said.

"It ain't about the who, Izzy, it's about the why….." he replied.

"But you aren't the same ghost you were then," Lydia added. He looked at her almost tenderly.

"They don't think so," he said.

"Barrett," Isabel said, "what would you do if you got out?" He sighed.

"Izzy, you know me, I'm spiteful and vindictive, but I'm not stupid…" he said. He looked again at Lydia, she had dropped her gaze. This was all very hard for her.

"Babes," he said. She raised her eyes to meet his, "Yeah, I'm an asshole, yeah I wanna get out. But I will never use you just to do it. You gotta believe that." She smiled at him.

"I do believe it," she said, "and I'll be damned if they're gonna stop us." Betelgeuse grinned.

"That's my girl," he said.

"Well," Isabel said, "We better come up with a plan."


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed, you guys are great. We're getting close. I had a rampant burst of inspiration, and I'm on a roll. So, keep reading and reviewing.

Repercussions Chapter 12

Juno turned the book over and over in her hand. This thing had been nothing but trouble. She hadn't even known that the ancient spells in the thing actually worked, but apparently they did. So, if Lydia and Betelgeuse had used it to help them before, she knew that they would look to it for a way to get married. What she didn't know, was how. Knowing those two, it could be anything. She lit a cigarette and opened it again. She would just have to beat them to the punch. She had no idea what they would try. They seemed very determined to make this marriage happen, but she was just as determined to stop it. Betelgeuse set free in the living world would be a nightmare. And she knew, Lydia or no Lydia, he wouldn't be contained for long. He would get bored with the commitment thing and be back to his old tricks in no time. There was one thing that Juno knew about Betelgeuse… He hated being on any sort of short leash, and marriage was about as short as they got. No, she simply couldn't let it happen. No way in hell. She turned her attention back to the book. She would find a way to stop this. There had to be something here she could use.

Lydia, Betelgeuse and Isabel sat in silence for a while. They had all tried to come up with a solution to the problem, but so far had had no luck. Lydia and Isabel had run through a few different ideas, but Betelgeuse had remained uncharacteristically quiet.

"Beej," Lydia said.

"Huh, oh yeah babes, whatever you say…" he replied offhandedly. Lydia frowned.

"You're not even listening," she said tersely.

"Course I am, babes," he replied with a grin.

"Maybe we should continue this later," Isabel said.

"Yeah," Lydia replied, "it is getting late." Lydia and Isabel once again merged into one, and Lydia and Betelgeuse returned to her room; her to her bed and him to the mirror.

"There has to be something in the book," Lydia said. Betelgeuse lit a cigarette.

"Better get to lookin' then, babes," he said with a wink. Lydia sighed.

"And what are you going to do?" she asked.

"I'm here for moral support, Lyds." he replied.

"Gee, thanks," she muttered.

"Hey, it's not like I can just juice myself outta here, y'know," he said. Lydia huffed.

"I know, Beej," she said, "it's just so frustrating. Everyone is against us and you're stuck in there."

"Look Lyds, " he said, "it's been a long day. Why don't you get some sleep and we'll start fresh in the mornin'. " She smiled at him.

"That's a good idea, Beej," she replied, "I'm exhausted. Will you be here in the morning?"

"With bells on, babes," he said, "now get some sleep."

"Okay, " Lydia said, "goodnight Beej."

"Night, Lyds," he replied. He waited until she was sound asleep, then slipped quietly into her dreams. He needed to talk to Isabel. He had an idea, but it sounded crazy, even to him. He wanted to run it by Isabel before springing it on Lydia. It was going to be a hard sell, but it might be their only choice.

Betelgeuse skirted around the fringe of Lydia's dream. He didn't want her to see him, so he tried his best to stay out of sight. He knew that it would be easier to talk to Isabel while Lydia was asleep. His idea was definitely a long shot. He didn't really know if he could convince either of them, but he had to try. He finally made his way out of her dream and into her deep subconscious, where he knew Isabel would be.

"Izzy," he yelled, "Iz…." She stepped out of the shadows.

"Barrett, what are you doing here?" she asked.

"I think I know a way that me an Lyds can get hitched," he said, "but you're gonna have to help me convince her." Isabel gave him a questioning look.

"Convince her of what?" she asked.

"To let me kill her…"


	13. Chapter 13

Repercussions Chapter 13

"Well, it took longer than I thought for you to completely lose your mind," Isabel said. Betelgeuse frowned at her.

"Oh ha ha," he replied, "it'll work, Iz, I'm sure of it."

"It may very well work, Barrett," she said, " but it is extreme. How can you be sure it will be safe?" Betelgeuse rubbed the back of his neck.

"Well, I ain't really sure," he said, "but we could try it out a few times first. Just for a few seconds at a time. C'mon, Izzy. She'll only be in a coma in her world. You can keep her body alive, then she can go back to it, and bam, we're hitched."

"But Neitherworld marriages aren't legally binding in the real world," she reminded him.

"I know that," he replied, "I've set up a marriage in the real world before, I can do it again." Isabel sighed heavily. It was a good plan, in theory, but execution (pardon the pun) was something else entirely. First of all, there was the whole talking-Lydia-into-dying thing, then there was convincing her to let Betelgeuse be the one to temporarily kill her.

"Have you ever done anything like this before?" she asked.

"Technically….." he began. She raised an eyebrow at him.

"….no….." he finished.

"Barrett," she said, "you know I love you. And I want you and Lydia to be happy. But this is a big risk. Are you sure that she will be willing to do this?" He didn't want to admit it, but that stung a little.

"Would you be willing to?" he asked, " If it was your decision?" She smiled sweetly at him.

"Yes," she said, "I would." He grinned.

"I know my Lyds, Izzy," he said, "she'll do it." She smiled again.

"Then let's go talk to her." she replied.

"Like dead…..as in….dead…" Lydia said.

"Temporarily," Betelgeuse replied, "for like a few minutes. Then you'll just be in a coma." Lydia frowned. Oh, _just_ in a coma. Well, when you put it like that.

"For how long?" she asked.

"A few days, tops," Betelgeuse replied.

"A few days?" Lydia asked, "why so long?"

"You'll have to be processed, Lyds," he said, "when ya croak, ya croak. But don't worry, I know a guy. He'll help us out. He owes me a favor." Lydia frowned again.

"Lydia," Isabel said, "time works differently in the Neitherworld. A few hours there is a few days in your world. But we will try to make it as short as possible."

"Dead," Lydia said again.

"C'mon babes," Betelgeuse said again, "when we met you told me you wanted 'in'. Here's yer chance."

"That was a long time ago, Beej," Lydia replied, "a lot has changed since then."

"Lydia," Isabel said, "it's only temporary. Your body will be fine. I'll make sure of that. And you and Barrett will be married." Lydia frowned yet again. She knew that it was a plausible solution, but although there was a time when she had wanted to end it all, things were different now. And now that it was basically a done deal, she was a little freaked out.

"Babes," Betelgeuse said, taking her hand, "trust me. It'll be fine." Somehow, even the reassurance of the ghost with the most didn't do much to quell her apprehension. She sighed heavily.

"Just a few days?" she asked.

"Just a few days." Isabel replied.

"Alright," Lydia said, finally, "but one or both of you better know how to bring me back." Betelgeuse grinned.

"C'mon babes," he said, "would I offer to kill ya if I couldn't bring ya back?"

"Uh, yeah," Lydia said, sardonically. Betelgeuse just rolled his eyes.

"Well, yeah, if ya count all those other times…" he said.

"Alright you two," Isabel interjected, " we need to start figuring out what we need to do." Betelgeuse shrugged and Lydia took a deep breath.

"Let's do it before I change my mind," she said.

"Now yer talkin', babes," Betelgeuse said with a grin.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: I am sooo sorry that this is taking me so long. I kind of got out of the Betelgeuse mode and into the Walking Dead mode for a while. But here's another chapter for all those still reading and enjoying this fic. Thanks so much for the favorites and reviews. It really does keep me motivated. So, on with the story….

Repercussions Chapter 14

Betelgeuse and Isabel had been practicing "killing" Lydia for a few days now. They wanted to make sure everything was alright when she came back. So far it had been a success. There had been no weird effects on her, so they had been keeping her out for a couple of hours. Lydia's nervousness at the idea of being dead had almost disappeared. She had actually begun to enjoy the sensation. It felt like flying. She and Betelgeuse had taken short trips around the Neitherworld, while Isabel remained in Lydia's body to keep it functioning. Today was going to be the real test, though. They were going to the breather world to see how she could handle it. Betelgeuse made it look easy, just popping in anytime, but it was harder on the recently dead. The change was disorienting, and Betelgeuse was nervous that she wouldn't be completely in control of herself. Even though it was easier when you knew you were dead, it didn't feel any less weird.

"You ready for this, babes?" he asked her. Lydia sighed heavily.

"Not really," she replied. Betelgeuse frowned at her. "But let's do it anyway…" He took her hand and led her to the sofa.

"You ready, Iz?" he asked. Isabel nodded, and stepped toward Lydia. They had all become really good at the transition. Lydia positioned herself on the sofa with Isabel seated next to her. Betelgeuse stepped forward and placed his hand over Lydia's heart.

"Here goes nothin'…." he said. A small electric jolt spread through Lydia's body. The shock caused her body to rise off the sofa, and she let out a small whimper of pain. It always hurt, but she had managed to stop screaming out loud after the fourth or fifth time. She closed her eyes as the familiar feeling flooded through her. Her heartbeat began to slow and her fingers tingled slightly.

"Now." Betelgeuse said. Lydia exhaled her last breath for the moment and her heart stopped. When he felt it, he nodded to Isabel. She placed her hand where his had been and pushed. It went straight into Lydia's body. She felt herself being pulled into Lydia. It only took a few seconds until Lydia jerked and Betelgeuse returned his hand to her chest. Another jolt, and he felt the rhythmic thump of her heartbeat under his fingers again. He sighed with relief. He wouldn't tell them, but that part always scared the shit out of him. He turned to scan the room. It usually took a few minutes for Lydia to materialize. Since Betelgeuse knew that everyone who died went to the waiting room, he had a guy who owed him a favor slip Lydia out a side door before anyone noticed to avoid her being processed. It was risky. That damn Juno could get wind of their plan at any time. He breathed an unnecessary sigh of relief when he saw her shimmer into view.

"Any problems?" he asked.

"Nope, smooth as usual," she replied. Betelgeuse grinned. He stood and grabbed her hand.

"Ya ready?" he asked. She nodded.

"Ready as I'll ever be." she replied.

Lydia looked around. She had no idea where they were. It certainly didn't look like Winter River. She clung to Betelgeuse.

"Where are we, Beej?" she asked. He looked at her with a smirk.

"Where have you always wanted to go?" he asked with a little glint in his eyes. Lydia's eyes widened.

"Paris?" she exclaimed, "are we really in Paris?" Betelgeuse couldn't hide the satisfaction on his face.

"You know it, babes," he said, "only the best for my Lyds." She let out a little squeal of excitement.

"Oh Beej," she said, "thank you." His grin widened and he took her hand.

"C'mon," he said, "Let's go explorin'." They walked around the city for a while, taking in all the sights that Lydia had always wanted to see. They went to the Eifel Tower, the Champs Elysees, and the Louvre. Lydia was speechless. She was so caught up in all the sights and people around her, that she didn't notice the grip Betelgeuse had on her hand get tighter. It was only when he stopped that she noticed the look on his face. Not to be funny, but he looked like he had seen a ghost.

"Beej?" she questioned.

"C'mon," he said, "we gotta go." He pulled her into the nearest alley.

"What is it, Beej?" she asked. He led her deeper into the alley.

"We're goin' back," he said, "get ready." She didn't question him, she just readied herself to reenter her body. She closed her eyes and took one of those deep unnecessary breaths that was still habit for her. Almost immediately, she felt the gentle tug that meant she would soon be back. She didn't know what had gotten to Betelgeuse, but she knew by the look on his face that it wasn't good. A few minutes later, she opened her eyes. Betelgeuse was pacing furiously in front of her. She sat up. Isabel was at her side, staring at Betelgeuse.

"Beej, what happened?" she asked.

"Barrett?" Isabel questioned. He stopped pacing and looked at the two women. They knew something was very wrong.

"She knows….." he said. The two women gave him questioning looks, but didn't speak.

"Juno….." he said, "she knows…."


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: I swear I'm still working on this. Hope you are all still hanging in there with me.

Here goes.

Repercussions Chapter 15

Juno had to admit it. Those two were smart. They had found a way to get around every rule in the book. She honestly hadn't even seen it coming. Killing Lydia…..oh they were smart. Temporarily killing a breather was not in that book. She knew. She had read every last word in the thing. It must have been Betelgeuse's idea. The question was, how was she going to stop them now? There were no laws against two dead people getting married, even if one of them was only temporarily dead. So, if those two got married in the breather world, the marriage would be legally binding and Juno's afterlife would be hell.

How were they keeping her body functioning? They couldn't do this alone. Suddenly, a wicked grin spread across Juno's face. There was her answer. They had to be keeping her body somewhere, and they had to have some poor unwitting soul inhabiting it while she was dead. If Juno could find her body, she could expel the soul inside and Lydia's body would die, leaving nothing for her to return to. She took a long drag on her cigarette. She had to find Lydia's body.

Betelgeuse had been pacing for hours. He was mumbling to himself and both Lydia and Isabel were beginning to worry. Suddenly, he turned to face them.

"Okay," he said, "she knows _what_ we're doing, but I know she has no idea _how_ we're doing it. So all we gotta do, is do it quick before she figures it out." Lydia frowned.

"Juno's not stupid, Beej," she said, "she'll figure it out soon."

"I know, babes," he replied, "that's why we gotta move. I know she's wracking her brain right now. We can't give her time for that." Isabel glanced from one to the other.

"How fast can you put it together?" she asked. Betelgeuse sighed heavily.

"I need two days." he replied. Isabel nodded.

"We have to keep Lydia out of sight until then," she said, "Juno could find her in her world." Lydia's head was spinning. Two days. She was getting married in two days. She felt like she might pass out.

"Babes," Betelgeuse said, "I know it's not the most romantic thing in the world, but if ya still wanna marry me, we gotta do this." Lydia took a deep breath. She had never expected romantic from Betelgeuse anyway.

"Let's do it," she said with a grin.

"Alright Babes," Betelgeuse said, with a grin of his own, "then let's turn on the juice and see what shakes loose."

Juno had her assistant, Fred, looking all over for Lydia Deetz. She had to find her. Those two were way smarter than she had given them credit for. Juno knew that Betelgeuse had seen her in Paris. She had tried to stay in the shadows, but he had an eerie way of knowing what she was up to. She had entertained the thought of sending Fred, but as much as he was scared of her, Fred was a million times more afraid of Betelgeuse. Truth be told, Fred was a simpering moron, but he was all she had. She had to find the Deetz girl or all her efforts to stop the wedding were going to be futile. Juno was determined. This wedding was not going to happen.

Betelgeuse stepped into a little shop in the middle of town. It was a dusty little hole in the wall, but he knew exactly what he was looking for.

"May I help you?" a voice said from behind the counter. Betelgeuse turned to see a tall redhead drumming her fingers nervously on the glass topped case in front of him. He could already tell that she didn't like him. Hell, not many people did. He just hoped this wasn't going to be difficult.

"Well, Betelgeuse….what can I do for you?" the woman asked with barely concealed contempt. Betelgeuse fixed her with a contemptuous grin of his own.

"I need the ring." he said matter-of-factly. The woman paled slightly, but nodded. Betelgeuse's grin took on a sardonic edge. He knew that no one thought that he would ever be back for that ring. But now that he had Lydia, there was no way he was letting her go. This ring would ensure that he never had to.

"So…..you actually managed to sucker some poor fool into marrying you…." came a gruff voice from behind a tacky beaded curtain. Betelgeuse whirled around to see a small misshapen figure emerge.

"She ain't no fool," Betelgeuse replied, "she knows a good thing when she sees one." The little man laughed.

"Oh really…" he said, "after that last fiasco, I figured you would give up trying." Betelgeuse laughed out loud.

"Not even sandworms can get the best of the ghost with the most…" he said, "you still got that ring, or what?" The little man sighed and moved around behind the counter. He took out an ancient looking key and unlocked the cabinet.

"Just like you left it," he said with a smirk. Betelgeuse took the ring and held it up to the light. Oh yeah. This was just what he needed. He begrudgingly paid the little man and left. A few feet down the street, he ducked into a seedy looking alley and into a dark doorway. What he had planned couldn't be broken by anyone, Juno and the powers that be included. This was foolproof. Once he had the ring ready, everything else would just fall into place. A sick sounding bell announced his arrival.

"You lost?" a voice asked from the shadows.

"Nah," Betelgeuse replied, " I know exactly where I am." Immediately, a figure stepped out of the shadows.

"Then you know what I need," said the figure. Betelgeuse reached into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out an envelope. He tossed it to the figure, who immediately began to open it.

"What's a matter?" Betelgeuse asked, "you don't trust me?" The figure scoffed.

"Bout as far as I can throw ya." he replied as he counted the money.

"Just do ya job," Betelgeuse replied, "ya got two days." Then he turned and left the building.

"This better work," he mumbled as he made his way back to the roadhouse.


	16. Chapter 16

Repercussions Chapter 16

Lydia was pacing. Betelgeuse had been gone for a long time. She had even begun to murmur to herself. She was terrified that Juno was going to find a way to stop the marriage, and Lydia knew that she wouldn't stop there. If Juno had her way, Betelgeuse would be spending eternity in the lost souls room. She was still running all the horrible scenarios over in her mind, when Betelgeuse appeared directly in front of her. She let out a surprised yelp as she ran headlong into him.

"Betelgeuse!" she yelled. The ghost before her looked a little sheepish.

"Sorry, Lyds…" he said, "didn't mean to interrupt your conversation with nobody. Yer not havin' second thoughts are ya?"

"No, Beej," she replied, "I'm just worried about Juno. What if something happens?" Betelgeuse frowned. He wouldn't tell her, but he was worried about that possibility himself.

"Babes," he said, "nothin' and nobody is gonna stop us." Lydia gave him a small half smile and wrapped her arms around him.

"I hope you're right," she whispered.

"Course I'm right, babes," he replied, with more conviction than he actually felt, "now how bout some premarital sex?" Lydia frowned.

"How about….no." she replied.

"I swear, Lyds, you really know how to hurt a guy….." he replied.

Juno practically jumped out of her chair. She had found it. She knew how to stop the wedding. That little book had finally come in handy. A wicked grin spread across her face.

"FRED!" she bellowed. The mousy little man instantly appeared.

"I need you to get me some things," she said, "and I need them now!" Fred nodded uneasily and took out his notepad. Juno rattled off a list and snapped her fingers. Fred was immediately transported to a seedy looking shop on the outskirts of the Neitherworld. He shivered involuntarily. This was definitely not his kind of place, but when Juno said "jump", Fred tended to jump. He took a deep unnecessary breath and pushed open the door.

Betelgeuse and Isabel had been working non-stop for the past two days to get everything ready. They decided to do one more practice run before the real thing. Lydia had become so accustom to the process that it barely even registered. But this time, her nerves were on edge. Every feeling was amplified. She always knew that she was essentially "dying" but she had become completely unable to conjure up any emotions to go with that realization. This time, however, she was visibly nervous. She let out one final breath, then everything went black…..

Juno looked solemnly at all the items Fred had placed on her desk. She took a long drag from her cigarette. Might as well get it over with. No one knew that she wasn't exactly happy about how the whole thing had turned out. Granted, Betelgeuse wasn't exactly her favorite ghost, but she still didn't relish the idea of causing him pain. But, whether she liked it or not, this is what had to be done. She got out the book and started the arcane ritual. Once it was done, she felt herself being pulled out of her office. She was deposited in a familiar looking place. She looked around for a minute before she found what she had been looking for. Lydia was lying on the sofa, underneath a conspicuous looking black and white striped blanket. She removed the covering and regarded the girl for a moment. She couldn't hesitate now. She placed her hand on Lydia's forehead. She took an unnecessary breath before pushing her hand straight into Lydia's skull. She began to pull slightly and felt resistance. Whoever was in there, didn't want to come out. She tightened her grip and tried again. This time, the resistance was almost too much. A tug of war ensued, and Juno, being severely lacking in the brawn department, was suddenly on the losing end. She found herself being pulled into Lydia's head. She struggled against the force with all her strength, but in the end, she was no match for the person on the other end. She landed in a heap in the dark. She cursed out loud at whoever had beaten her at her own game. A small voice echoed in the darkness.

"I'm not going to let you do this…" the voice said. Juno recognized it immediately. Isabel. She should have known. Every copy of that damn book was being burned when this was over. She stood up and brushed herself off. She turned to face the disembodied voice. Just then, a light flickered, illuminating Isabel. Juno fixed her with a hard stare, which she returned.

"I'm sorry it has to be this way," Juno said, lighting a cigarette. Isabel frowned.

"I don't think you are," she replied, "why do you hate him so much?"

"I don't hate him," Juno replied with a sigh, "don't you get it? I'm not doing this because I hate Betelgeuse…" She took a long drag from her cigarette, "If you knew what I know, you'd realize that I'm doing this for his own good. I'm trying to save him."

"Save him? Do you have any idea what this will do to him? You think he's a monster now….." Juno sighed heavily and closed her eyes.

"Marrying that girl will destroy him…." she almost whispered. Isabel was confused.

"What are you saying?" she asked. Juno took another drag and exhaled slowly before speaking.

"A long time ago, when the curse was put on his name, there were a few….. stipulations added for security. He doesn't know about them, but they're strong and they're unbreakable. Not being able to come and go as he pleases is just the tip of the iceberg. He is powerful. More powerful than anyone or anything has a right to be. He can't be set free on the living world. He just can't…" Isabel was stunned.

"Just tell me why, Juno.." she said softly.

"Once those two get married, any shred of humanity that he has left will begin to fade. His soul joined with two more, especially one living one, will be unstoppable. He will turn into nothing more than a monster. He can't marry Lydia without losing himself. Once he marries her, he will lose his humanity and become a nameless, formless monster, and nothing will be able to stop him…..or save him." He may not be my favorite ghost, but even I don't want to see him damned for eternity like that." Isabel was fighting back tears.

"Why couldn't you just tell him that?" she asked. Juno scoffed.

"He would never believe a word of it," Juno replied, "and even if he did, he would still try it, just for spite. You'll all die….I can't let that happen."

"But you're willing to kill Lydia," Isabel said. Juno cast her gaze to the floor.

"Collateral damage," she replied, "they can get married all they want when she gets to the Neitherworld…just not while she's alive with two souls."

"That's not fair to her, Juno," Isabel said.

"Hell life's not fair." Juno replied, "neither is death for that matter." The two women stood in silence for quite a while. Finally, Isabel spoke in a voice barely above a whisper.

"What if Lydia didn't have two souls?" she asked. Juno regarded her quizzically.

"What are you saying?" she asked. Isabel squared her shoulders.

"I'm saying that it's time I moved on…I've been avoiding the inevitable for long enough. He deserves this happiness, and I won't be the one to stand in the way of it…" The tears she had been holding back spilled out of her eyes.

"You're willing to sacrifice yourself?" Juno asked.

"If it means saving Barrett…I am." Isabel replied.

"You won't get another chance," Juno said.

"I know," Isabel replied, "but he will…" Despite herself, Juno allowed a few tears of her own to fall.

"You're a better woman than I am," she said softly.

"And he's a better man than you give him credit for…" Isabel replied. Juno sighed heavily.

"Fine.." she said, finally, "but I don't want to be around when he finds out." With that, the old woman disappeared in a cloud of thick smoke. Isabel sighed audibly, staring at the void the old ghost had left, sobbing uncontrollably.


End file.
